Mixing apparatus

Abstract

A mixing apparatus having a bowl lift arrangement which includes a yoke which is attachable to the mixing bowl and which includes only one guide rod for supporting the yoke, the guide rod being located in the forward portion of a support column which supports the drive motor housing above the base of the mixing unit, and the guide rod being centered to extend vertically along and an axis co-planar with the axis of the bowl. The bowl lift arrangement further includes a screw shaft extending parallel to and behind the guide rod and which has one end received in a threaded aperture provided in the rearward end of the base portion of the yoke, the other end of the screw shaft being linked to a handle, turning of which causes rotation of the screw shaft, with the yoke riding up or down on the screw shaft as it is rotated, carrying the bowl up or down.

I claim: 
     
       1. For use with a mixing apparatus, a bowl support arrangement which is self-aligning with respect to the mixing apparatus, said support arrangement comprising: a bowl support member having: (a) a yoke portion adapted to receive and hold a mixing bowl,   (b) a base portion adapted to be raised and lowered as desired by the user thereof, and   (c) a single guide portion defining an aperture extending inwardly from said base portion into the mixing apparatus;     a guiding means comprising a guide rod mounted inwardly of said mixing apparatus and passing through said aperture and defining a single vertically extending guide rail for said bowl support member, said guiding means engageable by said single guide portion of said bowl support member for raising and lowering said bowl support member as desired, and   a bearing surface means engageable by said base portion of said bowl support member, with said guiding means and said bearing surface means cooperating with said bowl support member to maintain and to support said bowl support member when the mixing apparatus is operative and to provide a load bearing surface between said bearing surface means and said base portion during the mixing operation.   
     
     
       2. A bowl support arrangement according to claim 1 wherein said bearing surface means comprises first and second surface portions of a vertical support member of said mixing apparatus. 
     
     
       3. A bowl support arrangement according to claim 1 wherein said guide means further comprises drive means coupled to said guide portion of said bowl support member and operable to raise or lower the bowl support member. 
     
     
       4. In a mixing apparatus including a base, and a housing mounted on said base and including a vertically extending support portion and a portion extending horizontally from the top of the vertical portion to overhang the base, a drive shaft extending downwardly from the housing portion and adapted to receive a motor driven agitating tool for mixing or beating a substance contained in a mixing bowl supported by the housing, an arrangement for supporting the bowl on said housing comprising: bowl support means including a yoke portion having first and second arms adapted to receive and hold the mixing bowl; a base portion adapted to be raised and lowered to thereby raise and lower the mixing bowl, and a guide portion extending inwardly from said base portion into the mixing apparatus; a guide means including a vertically extending guide rod engageable by said guide portion of said bowl support means to guide said bowl support means in its vertical travel as it is raised and lowered, the vertical support portion defining at least one bearing surface engageable by said base portion of said bowl support means, with said guide means, and said bearing surfaces cooperating with said bowl support means to maintain and to support the mixing bowl when the mixing apparatus is in operation.   
     
     
       5. A mixing apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said guide means includes a screw shaft mounted within said support portion and extending vertically therewithin, said base portion of said bowl support member having a tapped hole through which said screw shaft extends, and means for rotating said screw shaft, said bowl support means riding upward on said screw shaft with rotation of the screw shaft in one direction and riding downward with rotation of the screw shaft in the opposite direction. 
     
     
       6. A mixing apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said means for rotating said screw shaft comprises a crank handle coupled to said screw shaft. 
     
     
       7. A mixing apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said means for rotating said screw shaft comprises a motor having its drive shaft coupled to said screw shaft. 
     
     
       8. For use with mixing apparatus, a bowl support arrangement which is self-aligning with respect to the mixing apparatus, said support arrangement comprising: a bowl support member having: (a) a yoke portion adapted to receive and hold a mixing bowl,   (b) a base portion adapted to be raised and lowered as desired by the user thereof, and   (c) a single guide portion extending inwardly from said base portion into the mixing apparatus;     a guiding means engageable by said single guide portion of said bowl support member for raising and lowering said bowl support member as desired,   a bearing surface means engageable by said base portion of said bowl support member, with said guiding means and said bearing surface means cooperating with said bowl support member to maintain and to support said bowl support member when the mixing apparatus is operative and to provide a load bearing surface between said bearing surface means and said base portion during the mixing operation, and   a vertical support member having first and second parallel side members and a cross member portion extending between said side members intermediate the ends thereof defining generally H-shaped configuration for said support member, with corresponding ends of such support member defining said bearing surface means.